A few words...
on politics.
I consider myself a liberal Democrat, for the most part. Over the last several years, however, I have had my convictions move to the background while becoming a firm believer in realpolitick, of doing what must be done. A large part of the reason for that is that politicians have become so homogenized, one being indistinguishable from another. Even the insurgencies led by some members of the party in primaries has done nothing for me. I laughed off Bill Bradley, was turned off by Howard Dean. I have found myself morphing into someone who cared about politics intellectually, but who had no particular emotional connection to it at all - which is not who I was when I was young.
I am excited about Barack Obama.
Compromise without compromising all principles. Uplifting the dialogue of the debate while still having the debate itself. Trying to inspire every American to be something better than they are now, to encourage them to be a part of something bigger than they are now - these words resonate with a part of me that I subconsciously thought I had discarded after years of frustration with the choices presented to me. In part, that is because Mr. Obama possesses a sincerity that most politicians either do not possess or are unable to convey. As he said to Mrs. Clinton in the debate on Saturday, "Words do matter."
And they do matter - most of the candidates in any election present ideas that are not terribly new or fresh. It is the way in which the dialogue about those issues is framed that can be new and fresh. Much of America has checked out of politics not out of a sudden inspiration to do so, but rather by a steady erosion of their spirit, a sapping of their will by campaign after campaign that played to the lowest common denominator, campaign after campaign that denigrated them by saying that they were not bright enough or skilled enough to reach to a higher standard.
It is for that reason that I believe that a candidate with a message of hope can build a consensus that crosses party lines. It is for that reason that I feel a candidate who can inspire can help bridge some of the artificial divides created by interest groups on either edge of the political spectrum. It is for that reason I find myself considering volunteering for a campaign for the first time in my voting career.
My political ideal is Bobby Kennedy. He ended all of his stump speeches with the same paraphrased quote: "Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why'? I dream of things that could be and ask, 'Why not?'" I hear echoes of this reach for something more in Obama's campaign message - and I find I am allowing myself to hope again. I am allowing myself to hope that politics can be something more than simply choosing the least distasteful option, that it can be working with someone to try and make a difference.
I will not tell anyone they should vote for a specific candidate - obviously, I think you should vote for Obama, but I understand differing views. I will tell you, however, to try and find someone who can inspire you, too. Try to find someone who you can walk into a poll to vote for and walk out feeling good about yourself. Try to find this person, because I can tell you that if you feel about that candidate the way that I feel about mine, you will find yourself energized and revitalized about the political process.
And that, I believe, is the most important result of a good political campaign.
I consider myself a liberal Democrat, for the most part. Over the last several years, however, I have had my convictions move to the background while becoming a firm believer in realpolitick, of doing what must be done. A large part of the reason for that is that politicians have become so homogenized, one being indistinguishable from another. Even the insurgencies led by some members of the party in primaries has done nothing for me. I laughed off Bill Bradley, was turned off by Howard Dean. I have found myself morphing into someone who cared about politics intellectually, but who had no particular emotional connection to it at all - which is not who I was when I was young.
I am excited about Barack Obama.
Compromise without compromising all principles. Uplifting the dialogue of the debate while still having the debate itself. Trying to inspire every American to be something better than they are now, to encourage them to be a part of something bigger than they are now - these words resonate with a part of me that I subconsciously thought I had discarded after years of frustration with the choices presented to me. In part, that is because Mr. Obama possesses a sincerity that most politicians either do not possess or are unable to convey. As he said to Mrs. Clinton in the debate on Saturday, "Words do matter."
And they do matter - most of the candidates in any election present ideas that are not terribly new or fresh. It is the way in which the dialogue about those issues is framed that can be new and fresh. Much of America has checked out of politics not out of a sudden inspiration to do so, but rather by a steady erosion of their spirit, a sapping of their will by campaign after campaign that played to the lowest common denominator, campaign after campaign that denigrated them by saying that they were not bright enough or skilled enough to reach to a higher standard.
It is for that reason that I believe that a candidate with a message of hope can build a consensus that crosses party lines. It is for that reason that I feel a candidate who can inspire can help bridge some of the artificial divides created by interest groups on either edge of the political spectrum. It is for that reason I find myself considering volunteering for a campaign for the first time in my voting career.
My political ideal is Bobby Kennedy. He ended all of his stump speeches with the same paraphrased quote: "Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why'? I dream of things that could be and ask, 'Why not?'" I hear echoes of this reach for something more in Obama's campaign message - and I find I am allowing myself to hope again. I am allowing myself to hope that politics can be something more than simply choosing the least distasteful option, that it can be working with someone to try and make a difference.
I will not tell anyone they should vote for a specific candidate - obviously, I think you should vote for Obama, but I understand differing views. I will tell you, however, to try and find someone who can inspire you, too. Try to find someone who you can walk into a poll to vote for and walk out feeling good about yourself. Try to find this person, because I can tell you that if you feel about that candidate the way that I feel about mine, you will find yourself energized and revitalized about the political process.
And that, I believe, is the most important result of a good political campaign.